Welcome to my blog.
Don't expect anything too high-tech or flashy, this is simply a 'diary' to share some of my photos, thoughts and observations - with a particular bias towards the natural world and the countryside around my home.

Friday, 7 November 2008

Back up the hill!

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was dull and grey but this morning - after last night's rain - was bright and sunny. Best make the most of it because the forecast for the weekend is dreadful. So this morning we decided to head back up Shipley Hill to take a closer look at what remains of Shipley Hall, the old residence of the Miller-Mundy family who I mentioned yesterday. We stopped briefly on the way up the hill to look at the view back down the hill towards what used to be the Woodside Colliery and where until recently, the theme park was situated - looking back towards where we were yesterday.The fine old Sweet Chestnut tree in the foreground looking dark and skeletal against the bright sky and the trees further down the hill. Then, as we turned onto the site of the gardens of the old hall, we were greeted by the most brilliant colours of a couple of Acer trees.They really looked as if they had been painted, the colours were so vivid.I was just saying yesterday how nearly all the 'reds' had gone from the leaves. How wrong I was!Reluctantly turning away from this colourful scene, we took a look at what is left of the hall itself. Sadly there isn't much to see now except the outline of the rooms which made up the ground floor of the building. Here for example we would have been standing in the entrance hall looking into the house. To right and left we would have seen a grand dining room and a billiard room. The green baize of the billiard table now replaced by grass! The ramp in the foreground of this picture is where a large, glass corridor was once to be found.Behind us as we can see the old water tower which was separated from the hall by gardens. The tower is now a private residence with a splendid roof-top terrace. Just the place to sit and sip a gin and tonic in the sunshine! It all looks a bit different from when the Miller-Mundy's were in residence, as this old photo (taken from HERE), testifies.